With Brawl in Cell Block 99 finding a new audience on Netflix, viewers want to know if the brutal prison tale starring Vince Vaughn is based on a true story. In the film, Vaughn plays Bradley Thomas, an out of work boxer who turns to a life of crime to provide for his pregnant wife after a rough patch in their marriage. However, he soon finds himself behind bars and forced to adapt to a world more violent than he could ever imagine.
As for whether the story is based on actual events, we have the answer.
Is ‘Brawl in Cell Block 99’ Based On A True Story?
Brawl in Cell Block 99 is not a true story. During an interview with The Verge, writer/director S. Craig Zahler revealed that the fictional tale was fully inspired by old school prison films from the ’70s and his desire to expand on the genre.
“I saw a bunch of prison movies at a retrospective in New York at Film Forum, and I thought, ‘What would I do differently with this genre? What are the strengths and weaknesses?'” Zachler said. “Prison is such a compelling place to set a movie, because you have a bunch of hard-edged dudes confined together, and all of them are going to have interesting backstories.”
Here’s the official synopsis:
A former boxer loses his job as an auto mechanic, and his troubled marriage is about to expire. At this crossroads in his life, he feels that he has no better option than to work as a drug courier. He soon finds himself in a gunfight between police officers and his own ruthless allies. When the smoke clears, Bradley is badly hurt and thrown in prison, where his enemies force him to commit acts of violence that turn the place into a savage battleground.
Brawl in Cell Block 99 is available for streaming on Netflix.
